Bulletin S.R.B.E./K.B.V.E., 146(2010) : 151-156

Asilidae (Diptera) from mangrove, an unusual habitat for robber (Southeast Asia, Singapore)

Guy Tomaso vie1 & Patrick G root aert2

1 Scientific associate, Gembloux Agro-Bio Technology, Department of Entomology, University of Liège, Belgium (e-mail: [email protected] ). department of Entomology, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Rue Vautier 29, B-1000, Brussels, Belgium (e-mail: [email protected] ).

Abstract In the present paper we record four species of robber flies from mangrove in Singapore: amorges (Walker, 1849), Maira aenea (Fabricius, 1805), Orthogonis scapularis (Wiedemann, 1828) and Leptogaster moluccana (Doleshall, 1857).

Introduction Material and methods During a short survey of mangrove habitats in The present study is based on material collected Singapore we found four robber species in during a quality assessment study of a number of fairly large numbers. or robber flies are fragmented mangrove sites on the island of generally found in sunny, dry habitats and hence it Singapore. This project is called SMIP or the is surprising to find them in wet, marine habitats Singapore Mangrove Project that is tutored such as mangroves. by Singapore National Parks (NParks). It could be argued that since robber flies are Eleven mangrove sites were sampled during a good flyers they could invade mangrove habitats one-month campaign that lasted from 5 May to 12 from surrounding dryer sandy habitats. This is true, June 2009 with at least two Malaise traps per site. but one would expect more species then or less Most sites were on the north of the island because individuals. Anyway, the placement of the traps the southern side is almost completely taken by the was generally in the middle of the mangroves and harbour of Singapore. Following sites that all are difficult to reach from outside so that the wet, Nature reserve were sampled (Fig. 1): Lim Chu muddy habitats were probably indeed used by the Kang, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBRW, robber flies as their hunting and breeding ground. Fig. 3), Kranji Nature Trail, Mandai, Sungei Cina, According to the database of Geller-Grimm Pulau Seletar (Fig. 2), Pasir Ris, Changi Creek, (www.geller-grimm.de/asilidae.htm) and our own Pulau Ubin, Belayar Creek and Semakau Island. data the number of robber flies species already We placed five Malaise traps on Semakau Island: known from Singapore is limited to seven: Laphria three in mangrove, one on a wet sandy beach and imbellis Walker, 1857, Laphria inaurea Walker, one in beach forest. A third trap was also placed at 1857, Laphria plana Walker, 1857, Heligmoneura Lim Chu Kang, because the other two traps had fuscinalonga Tomasovic & Grootaert, 2008, very poor yields. Samples were taken every week, Heligmoneura singaporensis Tomasovic & which resulted in 104 samples. Grootaert, 2008, Michotamia singaporensis The Malaise traps were placed in the mangrove Tomasovic & Grootaert, 2008 and Promachus itself and were flooded during each tide for at least lineosus (Walker, 1857). The latter species was 50 cm to up to 1 m. described from a single female from Singapore Data from a two-year recording at Sungei Buloh ( W a l k e r , 1857, p. 13 n°40). We examined the Wetland Reserve in 2005-2007 and identified by holotype. In addition, many more species have Dr. Torsten D ik o w have been added as well. been recorded from non-mangrove habitats, but Voucher specimens are conserved at the Royal have not been published since (D ik o w , in litt.). Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS) and at the Raffles Museum for Research (NUS, Singapore). In addition material was studied that is conserved at the Natural History Museum in London (NHM).

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P. Sanang s i Î 10 ©NParks 3Kiom«w% Fig. 1. Current mangrove sites in Singapore. The terrestrial reference sites of Bukit Timah (primary rain forest), Nee Soon swamp forest and Sime forest have been added to the map. SBWR: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

Fig. 2. Mangrove on Seletar Island. The Malaise trap Fig. 3. Mangrove at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. was placed on a sandy patch in the mangrove.

Faunistic account submarginal cells, the radial fork is shorter than the second posterior cell and the antennae are wide During the one-month sampling campaign, 18 apart. robber fly specimens were found belonging to 3 species. Promachus amorges (Walker, 1849) amorges Walker, 1849 (Figs 4-5) Apocleini, Dikow, 2009 Promachus Loew, 1848 Walker (1849: 391) gives the description of a The unlike the other Apocleini genera is male, but does not cite the locality so that the easily identifiable by the wing with three provenance remains unknown. In the literature the

/52 Fig. 4. Promachus amorges (Walker, 1849) lateral Fig. 5. Promachus amorges (Walker, 1849) frontal view. view of head. species is recorded from Borneo and Sumatra (G e l l e r -G r im m , 2 0 1 0 ) . We have seen the All the species of this subfamily are living in holotype male that is conserved at NHM (London). forested areas. The principal character of the Material examined: SINGAPORE: 2 males, 1 members of the tribe Laphriini is the characteristic female, Semakau Island, 3.VI.2009 (SMK01, shape of the proboscis that is either laterally reg. 29140); 2 males, 1 female, Semakau Island, flattened like a paperknife or triangular in cross- 20.V.2009 (SMK01, reg. 29087); 1 male, 1 section. female, Pulau Seletar, 15.V.2009 (SLE01, reg. 29069); 1 male, Pulau Seletar, 29.V.2009 Maira Schiner, 1866 (SLE01,reg. 29120). Generally large flies with the proboscis laterally This species probably invades the mangrove flattened and body with shining metallic colour. from nearby sandy patches. The traps on Pulau The genus Maira contains 53 species: 16 are Seletar were in a very small mangrove on a sandy Oriental, 36 are Australasian and a single species soil (Fig. 2). The site SMK01 on Semakau island is Palaearctic (South China). However there are 10 was on a wet sandy beach on the border of a species to the south, east and west: M. aenea mangrove. (Fabricius, 1805), M auriharhis (Macquart, 1848), M. aurifacies (Macquart, 1848), M. compta Promachus lineosus (Walker, 1857) Walker, 1861, M gloriosa (Walker, 1858), M. Material examined: Holotype: 1 female with two gracilicornis Meijere, 1913, M hispidella Wulp, handwritten labels, one round label with Sing., 1872, M. nigrithorax, Wulp, 1872, and one rectangular Asilus lineosus and also one M. nychthemera Wulp, 1872 et M. tuberculata printed round label with a red ring with Wulp, 1872. The six other species occur in the Holotype and one rectangular with Holotype, Indian Subcontinent. Asilus lineosus Walker handwritten and in To identify our specimens we used the keys of printed det. J.E. C h a i n e y 1 9 8 4 . (NHM, v a n d e W u l p (1872), O l d r o y d (1972) and London). J o s e p h & P a r u i (1981,1998). The ovipositor of the majority of female Maira aenea (Fabricius, 1805) Promachus consists of segments 8 to 10 only, but (Figs 6-9) this female has the ovipositor consisting of Material examined: SINGAPORE: 1 male, segments 5 to 10, telescopic like in P. nusus Semakau Island, 12.V.2009 (SMK05, reg. Oldroyd, 1972 and P. indigenus Becker, 1925 that 29068); 1 female, Kranji, 26.V.2009 (KNT02, O l d r o y d (1972) put in the subgenus Trypanoides. reg. 29104); 1 male, Mandai, 2.VI.2009 According to O l d r o y d (1972) this difference in (MANO 1, reg. 29132); 1 male, Lim Chu Kang, ovipositor suggests differences in oviposition sites 2.VI.2009 (LCK02, reg. 29131); 1 male, Sungei which may be linked with subgeneric or even Buloh, 2.VI.2009 (SBWR01, reg. 29126). generic groupings. All specimens were recorded in traps in the middle of mangroves.

¡53 Fig. 6. Maira aenea (Fabricius, 1805) dorsal view. Fig. 7. Maira aenea (Fabricius, 1805) frontal view of head. ...

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+ Maira aenea 1 1 specim ens Fig. 8 X Maira auribarbis 1 specimens A Maira aurifacies 3 specimens ■ Maira compta 2 specimens ♦ Maira gracilicornis 1 specimens

Other material examined: INDONESIA: 1 male, Sungei Buloh, Wetland Reserve, 5.VIII.2005. Iles de Bodjo, VIII. 1884. Leg. Weyers (coli. Mangrove (Leg. P. G r o o t a e r t , malaise trap RB INS). 1, reg. 25284). INDONESIA: 1 male, Java (N° 191) identified by O l d r o y d at RBINS. It should be remarked that THEODOR (1976) notes on page 23 that the aedeagus of one species Remark: the aedeagus of this species is of Maira sp. from New Guinea is like in Laphria remarkable of shape in bearing two long “Tubes nearly as long as sheath, curved at theparameres. end”, whereas in Maira aenea it is like in In the genus Orthogonis Hermann, 1914 species Choerades Walker, 1851. have proboscis triangular in cross-section and M. aenea has also previously been recorded in a veins at apex of discal cell forming a cross. They wet environment in “Palawan, Puerto Princessa, are rather bare flies of dark blue, black colouration sea level, second growth forest, tail grass at edge of and blackish wings; tergal bristles strong. The forest O l d r o y d (1972)” . genus is in majority Australasian with 10 species. It is rare in other zoogeographical regions: 1 Orthogonis scapularisWiedemann, { 1828) Afrotropical, 1 Nearctic, 2 Oriental and 1 Materiel examined: SINGAPORE: 1 male, Palaearctic species, (G e l l e r G r im m , 2010).

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+ Maira gloriosa 1 specimens Fig. 9 X Maira hispidella 3 specimens A Maira nigrithorax 1 specimens ■ Maira nychthemera 2 specim ens ♦ Maira tuberculata 2 specimens

7.ix.2005 (reg. 25336, leg. P. Grootaert, det. T. Dikow); 3 males, 1 female, 16.ix.2005 (reg. 25355, leg. P. Grootaert, det. T. Dikow in ZRC); 2 females, 3.V.2006 (reg. 26073, leg. K. Yeo, det. T. Dikow); 1 female, 2.vi.2006 (reg. 26130, leg. K. Yeo, det. T. Dikow); 4 females, 23.vi.2006 (reg. 26133, leg. K. Yeo, det. T. Dikow); 3 females, ll.vii.2006 (reg. 26136, leg. K. Yeo, det. T. Dikow); 4 females, 26.vii.2006 (reg. 26138, leg. K. Yeo, det. T. Dikow); 1 female, 4.viii.2006 (reg. 26140, leg. K. Yeo, det. T. Dikow); 2 males, 5 females, 16.viii.2006 Fig. 10.Leptogaster moluccana (Doleschall, 1957). (reg. 26142, leg. K. Yeo, det. T. Dikow); 2 females, 25.viii.2006 (reg. 26143, leg. K. Yeo, det. T. Dikow); 2 females, 6.ix.2006 (reg. 26145, leg. K. Yeo, det. T. Dikow); 1 female, Leptogaster moluccana (Doleschall, 1957) 14.ix.2006 (reg. 26147, leg. K. Yeo, det. T. (Fig. 10) Dikow); 2 males, 5 females, 25.ix.2006 (reg. Material examined: SINGAPORE: 1 female, 26149, leg. K. Yeo, det. T. Dikow); 1 male, 4 Mandai, 12.V.2009 (MAN01, 29056); 2 females, 3.X.2006 (reg. 26151, leg. K. Yeo, det. females, Mandai, 19.V.2009 (MAN01, 29079); T. Dikow); 2 males, 4 females, 3.xi.2006 (reg. 1 female, Mandai, 26.V.2009 (MAN01, 29107). 26157, leg. K. Yeo, det. T. Dikow); 1 females, Sungei Buloh, 1 female, 10.vi.2005 (reg. 25168, 24.xi.2006 (reg. 26161, leg. K. Yeo, det. T. leg. P. Grootaert, det. T. Dikow); 1 female, Dikow); 1 male, ll.xii.2006 (reg. 26163, leg. P. 22.vi.2005 (reg. 25172, leg. P. Grootaert, det. T. Grootaert, det. T. Dikow). Dikow); 2 females, 22.vi.2005 (reg. 25171); 1 Nee Soon(swamp forest), 2 females, 18.xi.2005 male, 1 female, 15.vii.2005, (reg. 25262, leg. P. (reg. 25425, leg. P. Grootaert, det. T. Dikow, in Grootaert, det. T. Dikow); 2 males, 5 females, ZRC) 5.viii.2005 (reg. 25284, leg. P. Grootaert, det. T. All specimens were caught in Malaise traps. Dikow); 2 males, 4 females, 19.viii.2005, (reg. Comments: This species is widespread in Asia 25302, leg. P. Grootaert, det. T. Dikow); 1 male, and not restricted to mangrove alone 4 females, 27.viii.2005, (reg. 25272, leg. P. (http : //synthesis. eol. org/tdiko w/1 eptogastrinae_ Grootaert, det. T. Dikow); 1 male, 4 females, specimen_map?field_species_value=moluccana).

/55 Here in Singapore it is most common in mangrove Leptogasirinae. Ph.D. dissertation at Cornell and rather rare in terrestrial habitats. There was University, Ithaca, NY, USA. only a single record in the swamp forest at Nee G e l l e r -G r im m F., 2010. - Database of Asilidae, Soon, during a one-year sampling in 6 terrestrial www. geller-grimm. de/asilidae.htm Jo s e p h , A.N.T. & P a r u i , P., 1981. - New and little- stations with Malaise traps. During the 2005 known Indian Asilidae (Diptera) V. The genera survey, yet another Leptogaster species has been Laphria, Maira and Orthogonis with descriptions of observed, but remain unidentified until now nine new species. Entomológica scandinavica 12 : (Dikow, in litt.). 213-222. Jo s e p h , A.N.T. & P a r u i , P., 1998. - Fauna of India and Acknowledgements adjacent countries, Diptera (Asilidae), Part I. The authorities of National Parks are thanked for Calcutta: Zoological Survey o f India 278 pp. issuing the Research permits to collect in the National O ld r o y d , H. 1972. - Robber flies (Diptera, Asilidae), Parks and granting the Singapore Mangrove Insect o f the Philippine Islands. Pacific . Department Programme (SMIP). Special thanks go to Dr. Lena of Entomology, Bishop Museum 14(2): 201-337. C h a n , Deputy Director of the National Biodiversity T h e o d o r , O., 1976. - On the structure of the Centre at NParks and her staff who assisted P.G. with a spermathecae and aedeagus in the Asilidae and their lot of enthusiasm during the field work: Linda G o h M ei importance in the systematics of family. The Israel E e, Jeffrey Low K im Y ew , Tong H o r Y e e (C o l l in ), Academy of Science and Humanities. 175pp. Lim W ei L in g and Shufen Y a n g . We received help in T o m a s o v ic G. & G r o o t a e r t P, 2008. Four new the field on Pulau Ubin from Jacky SOH S w e e M e n g , species of robber-flies (Diptera : Asilidae) from the Justin T a n C h ek H w e n and Alan T a n Y o n g H o n g ; at Oriental Region. Bulletin de la Société royale belge Sungei Buloh from Ramakrishnan s/o RKOLANDAVELU d ’Entomologie, 144: 71-78. and Mohamad A zlin BIN S a n i . We want to thank also W a l k e r F., 1849. - List of the specimens of dipterous Dr Erica MCALISTER of Natural History Museum of insects in the collection of the British Museum. Pt. 2: London for the loan of types. 231-484. WULP, F.M. van der, 1872. - Bijdrage tot de Kennis der References Asiliden van den Oost-Indischen Archipel. D iko w T., 2007. - Phytogeny, classification, & Tijdschrift voor Entomologie (2)7(15): 129-279, pis. biodiversity of robber flies (Diptera : Brachycera: 9-12. Asiloidea : Asilidae) with special reference to

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